The court is not enough
by cashiam
Summary: Lindsay helps a a man get off murder charges


Title: The Court is Not Enough  
  
Author: Will (First Fanfic) Summary: This is just another regular practice style case. It involves murder, innocent suspect, great lawyers, and the usual excitement from the Practice. Disclaimer: I don't own these characters; they belong to David E. Kelly. I wish I could meet him in person. I love every single one of his shows, especially the lawyer ones. ***** It seems to be just another normal day for Officer Tim Wagner of the Boston Police Department. He goes on his usual Tuesday evening patrol in the familiar district of South Boston. Just as he drives pass a coffee shop, he spots a man wearing a red jacket running through the crowd and the looks of red liquid is flowing out of his sleeves. With his professional instinct, Wagner jump out of the car and start chasing the running man.  
  
"Stop sir, Boston PD."  
  
The man definitely has heard him as they are less than 10 feet away, but he doesn't stop. Instead he turns the corner and enters a dark alley. Wagner knows that's a dead end, but it is getting real dark at this time of the day. He pulls out of his gun and slowly walks into the shadow. The narrow space surround him seems to get smaller and smaller, and he definitely senses the foul smell of blood rushing into his nose. Now Wagner can hear the sound of someone moving.  
  
"Freeze! Boston PD."  
  
"Don't shoot", a male voice comes out of the dark.  
  
Office Wagner shines his flashlight into the dark. There stands a man about 5-11, holding his hands above his head. His eyes show a sense of panicking and frightening, trying as hard as they can to escape the blinding light. On the ground besides him lays a human hand; even though it's dark, it is still visible to see the diamond ring on the hand.  
  
It's two weeks before Christmas. Helen and Lindsay haven't had a free day for so long, and they are more than appreciative for the day off.  
  
"In other news, 32 years old Matt Hagger was arrested today in South Boston".  
  
"Helen, can you turn up the volume please." The news has caught Lindsay's attention.  
  
"According to the officer at the scene, Hagger ran through the street carrying a human hand fresh of blood. The victim is un-know, but it does appears that the murder is related to a diamond ring, which is still on the finger of the chopped off hand. The man who caught the suspect, officer Wager, has made the following comments".  
  
"The guy looked guilty the minute I saw him. I am just very disgusted at what he has done."  
  
Lindsey turns off the TV and now faces Helen.  
  
"So much for our mini-vacation. This guy looks like he needs a good attorney to get out of this one."  
  
"You not thinking of defending him, are you?"  
  
"Yes I am."  
  
"Look at this case, it has evidence, motive, eye witness. I can put that guy in jail in less than a week."  
  
"Then you better start preparing for the case now."  
  
Back in the office, Bobby is more than angry that Lindsay has decided to defend this suspect. Eugene and Jimmy are also in the room, but are not going to get involved just yet.  
  
"What are you thinking, he's got as much chance of getting away as OJ in any other country."  
  
"Bobby, I have read the police report, and I think there are many holes in the story. Just give me a chance, I can do it."  
  
It is not in Bobby's character to be easily persuaded, but every time Lindsay talks to him, she always has that invisible edge over him.  
  
"Fine, you go and do what you think is right. Eugene, you work on this case with her."  
  
"But I have another."  
  
"No but, I will work on whatever case you got. Now go back to work."  
  
"Beep". The guard opens the metal door and let in Lindsay and Eugene. Inside the room sits Matt Hagger, wearing the orange uniform, starring at the dark, metal table. There is no hope in his eyes, as pale as someone near the end of his life.  
  
"Mr. Hagger, I am Lindsay Dole, this is Eugene Young. We are here to represent you, so can you talk about what really happened."  
  
"I am innocent, I didn't kill no body, I just grab the hand when I saw the ring, I am not a murder."  
  
"Ok, we believe you, but the jury is not going to base on these words of yours. We have to have more detail of the event. Why are you there that night?"  
  
"I have no place to live, I just dig through dumpsters looking for stuff. That night I found the hand with the ring behind Romero's Grill. I tried to get it off, but it's on too tight. When I heard some voice, I just took the hand and run. Then the cop spotted me, and you know the rest."  
  
"Was there a body inside the dumpster as well?"  
  
"No, there was lot of blood on the ground, but no body."  
  
"Did anyone see you while you were digging through the dumpster?'  
  
"I don't know, it was really dark," Hagger is getting emotional. "Wait, I heard a voice when I started running, Irish accent, sounds like an argument. Yeah, I did hear some voice, and it's from inside the diner."  
  
"Why didn't you tell this to the police?"  
  
"I tried, but the asshole didn't even bother treating me like a human, never mind listening to what I had to say."  
  
'That's very important information Mr. Hagger. We will do some more investigation, and we will talk to you again soon."  
  
"Can you get me out of here, I don't want to go to prison, I maybe a bum, but I am no killer."  
  
"We will do the best we can to help you."  
  
The green sign says "Romero's Grill". Outside parked a Ford and a Dodges, business seems to be slow for a Friday night. This place is less than a mile from where Hagger was arrested. The police seems to have visited the place already; yellow tap was there to isolating the dumpster. Lindsay and Eugene don't like this place, but as good lawyers, there are many unpleasant things they have to do.  
  
"Hello, is anybody here?"  
  
The kitchen door opens, and out come a man around 40 years old, holding a bottle of Samuel Adams in his right hand, and has a sense of toughness in his every movement.  
  
"Welcome to Romero's Grill, what would you like?" There is definitely the Irish accent in his tone.  
  
"We are not here for dinner. I am Lindsay Dole, and this is Eugene Young. We represent Matt Hagger.'  
  
"Oh, the lad who says he find the hand in our dumpster. What do you want from me?"  
  
"We just like to ask you some questions concerning the case, and I will be very thankful for your assistance."  
  
"Sure, no problem, but I don't know much myself."  
  
"Did you or anyone work here saw Mr. Hagger on the night of questioning?"  
  
"I never take out the trash, so I didn't see anything. Yo! Lonny, come out of here for a minute."  
  
A younger man came out of the kitchen. "What, I am busy."  
  
"We got couple lawyers here asking about the guy and the chopped off hand thing; did you see anything?"  
  
'It was too damn dark. I heard some noise. I thought it was a dog or something. I didn't see anybody."  
  
"That's all, go back to work." The beer man turns around towards Lindsay and Eugene. "See I told you, we don't anything either."  
  
"Do you have any idea how the blood got into your dumpster?"  
  
"We run a restaurant here. Some of the meat product might be the cause of those bloods." He seems uncomfortable at the question.  
  
"Ok, that's all I have for now. Here is my card, call me when you remember anything else."  
  
"No problem, anytime."  
  
As Lindsay and Eugene walk out of the front door, the beer man walks back into the kitchen. All the certain a loud, woman's voice comes out of the kitchen, but it soon disappears with the shutting of the door. The only thing Lindsay can make out is "YOU FOOL!"  
  
"All rise..." As the judge walks into her seat, Lindsay turns to her right and saw the glare in Helen's eye. Then she looks to her left, where Eugene and Matt Hagger sit, and told her self it is just another day of practice.  
  
"Ms. Gamble, shall we begin."  
  
"Yes, your honor." Helen stands up and approaches the jury. "A man is dead. Who is he? We do not know, but we do know who killed him. The People intend to prove that this man (pointing at Matt Hagger) has killed the victim for the purpose of robbing a diamond ring. The defendant's fingerprints are all over the chopped off hand; we have a police officer who saw him running with the hand. This case should be simple, and it will be because there is more than enough evidence to prove that man is guilty."  
  
Helen sits down. Lindsay takes a sip of her water, and then approaches the jury.  
  
"It is certain that a man has being killed. However, it is not certain at all that my client, Matt Hagger, is the murder. My client did run with the chopped off hand because of the ring. But, there is no evidence, no witness, not even a body to prove that murder was being committed by him. I ask the jury to use they fine judgment and find my client innocent."  
  
"Ms. Gamble, you may call your first witness."  
  
"The People call Officer Tim Wagner."  
  
"Hold up your right hand. Truth and nothing but the truth."  
  
"I do."  
  
"Mr. Wagner, what were you doing on the night of question?"  
  
"I was on my regular patrol hour, and I saw him running with blood coming out of his sleeves." Helen interrupts him: " Who is him, can you point out the person?" Wagner points at Hagger.  
  
"Let the record shows that the witness points out the suspect. Then what happened?" She turns back to the officer.  
  
"I told him to stop, but he didn't. I chased him into a dead end. That's when I saw him with the hand and the ring."  
  
"Thank you. No more questions, you honor."  
  
"Ms. Dole?"  
  
Lindsay approaches Wagner and starts the questioning.  
  
"Mr. Wagner, when you saw my client, did you see him killing anyone?"  
  
"No, but."  
  
"I am sorry, you have answered my question already." Lindsay rudely interrupts Wagner.  
  
"Did you see anything else of the victim besides the hand and the ring?"  
  
"No."  
  
"So is there a possibility that someone else killed the victim, and my client just happens to pick up the hand with the ring?"  
  
"I suppose so." Wagner answers with no choice.  
  
"My client tells me when he found the hand in the dumpster of Romero's Grill, he heard some argument coming out of the diner, and he told you this fact. Did he not?"  
  
"Yes he did."  
  
"So why didn't you investigate to see if he is telling the truth?"  
  
"I did talk with the owner of the diner and check the dumpster, but there is nothing unusual."  
  
"Didn't you see some traces of blood near the dumpster?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
" Why didn't you write about it in your report?"  
  
"I thought it is not important, restaurant always have some blood in their dumpsters."  
  
"You thought, maybe you thought wrong. No more questions.'  
  
"The witness may step down. Ms. Gamble, your nexts witness?"  
  
"The People rests, you honor."  
  
"Ms. Dole?"  
  
"The defendant calls Roy Romero."  
  
"Hold up your right hand. Truth and nothing but the truth."  
  
"I do."  
  
"Mr. Romero, what is your occupation?  
  
"I own Romero's Grill on Martins Drive."  
  
"What were you doing on that night?"  
  
"It was business as usual. I stayed in me restaurant until 10:30."  
  
"Who was there with you on that night?"  
  
"Me wife, me cousin Loony, and myself."  
  
"Did you, or anyone else see anything or anybody near your dumpster that night?"  
  
"Nah, nothing."  
  
"My client informs me there is large quantity of blood in the dumpster when he find the hand, do you know anything about that"  
  
"I don't know what he is talking about. There was no blood the next morning when I checked. He made that story up."  
  
"He also tells me about overhearing an argument coming out of your restaurant, is that true?"  
  
"BULL SHIT, this guy is a liar."  
  
"Mr. Romero, watch your language please." Says the judge. "Continue, Ms. Dole."  
  
"Mr. Romero, is it true that your cousin has a criminal record of assault and illegal possession of weapon and was arrested two years ago by the New Jersey Police Department?"  
  
"Yes, but he was cleared."  
  
"Ok, that's fine. How is business lately?"  
  
"Objection, relevancy."  
  
"Ms. Dole, where are you going with this?"  
  
"Your honor, I will make my point in a minute."  
  
"Ok, I will allow it, but you better not press your luck."  
  
"Thank you, your honor. Mr. Romero, your business is not so well lately, isn't it?"  
  
"True, it's being kind of slow."  
  
"Do you know the reason for that?"  
  
"No clue."  
  
"Oh I think you do Mr. Romero. It's because the opening of the new steak house across the street two months ago. Is it not?"  
  
"Maybe, maybe not."  
  
"In fact, since the opening of that steak house, you have lost nearly 80% of your customers, and you hate the owner of that restaurant, Bill Sampers. So you lured him to your diner that night, then you and your brother killed.."  
  
" Objection, this is pure speculation."  
  
"Sustained. Ms. Dole, change the question"  
  
"I am sorry you honor, it will not happen again."  
  
"Continue."  
  
"Mr. Romero, you said there is never any argument in your restaurant. True?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"But I have asked several of your customers, and they have told me you have being arguing with your wife every night for the past two months, and especially after the night of the incident. How do you explain that?"  
  
"That's nothing, it is the way I talk to me wife."  
  
"Oh really, because your wife is outside ready to testify of how you argued with her and beat her after the night of murder."  
  
Romero looks panicked. Sweats fill his forehead. His armpits already wet like a baby's diaper. But he is not ready to give up yet.  
  
"The woman knows nothing." His voice has lost its toughness, much quieter than a moment ago.  
  
Lindsay walks to the evidence table and hold up the bag with the ring.  
  
"Mr. Romero, do you recognize this?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Well, lets see. What does it say on the top of the ring?" Lindsay brings the ring, still with some blood on it, closer to the witness.  
  
"Texas A&M, Class of 1984."  
  
Lindsay points at a woman in the stand. "That woman is Ms. Sampers, her husband has being missing for the past two weeks. Ms. Sampers, can you please tell the court what university and what year did your late husband graduated from."  
  
"My husband, Bill Sampers is a graduate of Texas A&M University in 1984."  
  
"Thank you, you may sit down."  
  
"Mr. Romero, is there anything you like to say, or do we need to bring in your crying wife who is waiting outside."  
  
"I think I am going to need a lawyer." Romero said it with his head down.  
  
The comment has sent the court into chaos. "Order, order."  
  
"At this point, I have no choice but to question the assumed facts. I am motioning for the full dismissal of this case. Mr. Hagger, you are free to go. Bailiff, please hold Mr. Romero and his cousin in custody."  
  
The courtroom is in shock, and so is Matt Hagger. Until Eugene tells him he is a free man, Hagger sits there in disbelief for more than five minutes. Helen walks over to the winner's table and congratulates Lindsay and Eugene on another job well done.  
  
"Lindsay, I don't see any woman crying outside of this room. Where is the witness you have mentioned?"  
  
Smiling at Helen's question, Lindsay says: "there was no witness, Ms. Romero was never here, I called a bluff, and he fell for it."  
  
"You are lucky Mr. Romero is a dumb criminal, you do know that, right."  
  
"Whatever works." All four of them are laughing while stepping out of the courtroom. THE END 


End file.
